Who Will Be Romero Today?

On this day we remember Archbishop Óscar Romero, murdered on March 24, 1980, while celebrating Mass. The church remembers him not simply as a tragic victim, but as a martyr whose blood was joined to the blood of the people he refused to abandon. Vatican sources still name him what so many already knew him to be in life: a “voice of the voiceless,” assassinated at the altar because he would not stop speaking for the poor.

Romero was killed soon after one of the most fearless sermons of the twentieth century. Addressing soldiers and police, he said that they were killing their own campesino brothers and sisters, and that God’s law stood above the commands of violent men: “Thou shalt not kill.” He declared that no soldier is obliged to obey an order against the law of God, and he ended with that thunderous plea: “In the name of God… cease the repression!”

That is why Romero remains dangerous. He did not speak in abstractions. He did not bless power from a safe distance. He did not soothe the conscience of empire. He named the sin directly. He named the victims directly. He named the moral responsibility of those ordered to carry out injustice. And for that, he was silenced by a bullet at the altar. Yet even in death he was not silenced, because martyrdom is a form of speech the powers of this world do not know how to answer.

Ten years later, in 1990, his name was still summoning people into the streets. The flyer for the Washington march commemorating Romero’s assassination called for an end to U.S. war in Central America, a march from the Capitol to the White House, and even nonviolent civil disobedience after the rally. It named the demands plainly: end U.S. aid to El Salvador, withdraw U.S. advisers, stop repressing the people, end the war against Nicaragua, lift the trade embargo, normalize relations. That call was real, and it was public. It survives in archival collections even now.

And I remember that day not as a line in a history book but as something lived in the body. Ten years after Romero’s assassination, I was arrested outside the White House after I and other activists built a miniature Central American village there. We were trying, in our small and vulnerable way, to make visible what policy papers and patriotic speeches tried to hide: villages, families, campesinos, the poor, the disappeared, the threatened, the dead. We were insisting that Central America was not a chessboard for Washington, but a place of human beings made in the image of God.

Read the rest of the essay at PeaceGrooves.

#Israel wants to show the #world that it can get away with anything. It wants to totally destroy #Iran not only as a #state, but as a #people.

The #Gulf #monarchies are #complicit. They are #colonizers who allow #Western #finance and #USmilitary bases on their #land.

#Khamenei could have fled. He chose #martyrdom instead. Iran has always stood against colonizers, and faced #punishment for it bravely. They support #Palestine and oppose the #USA, Israel, #Europe, and the GCC.

#HandsOffIran

Quote of the day, 5 March: Blessed Teresa of Guadalajara

We have not had to leave, thanks be to God, as so many of our Sisters have had to do. Our Sisters of Malagón had to leave at midnight on the day they were burning religious houses, without being able to save anything from the fire except the clothes they were wearing.

Have you had to suffer any attacks against your monastery? They say the two religious Orders that have had the most to suffer are the Society of Jesus and our Holy Reform, for being the Orders most hated by the Masons. It is a sign that they are making war on them.

What greater joy is there than to be hated by the enemies of Christ? We suffer much in seeing the wounds inflicted on our Holy Mother the Church, and the blindness of so many souls who, to their own cost, insist on persecuting Him, who gave His blood in order to gain eternal happiness for them.

I wrote to my uncle to find out about you and he answered me that you did not have to flee. You can’t imagine through what struggles and distress we have passed, since, as happens on these occasions, the news coming to us is edited and augmented.

On the eve of the feast of the Ascension (May 14), they told us that the arsonists were in Sigüenza, and since that is so close to us, we spent the entire night expecting they would come here, but everything was very peaceful in Sigüenza. It was all a false report; actually, my father came to see us by way of Sigüenza.

Blessed Teresa of the Child Jesus and St. John of the Cross

Letter to Sr. Maria of St. Teresa, STJ
Octave of Christmas, 1931

Note: We recall the birth of Blessed Teresa on 5 March 1890 and the birth of her companion in martyrdom, Blessed Maria Angeles of St. Joseph on 6 March 1905.

Rodriguez, J 2016, The Dialogues of the Carmelites of Guadalajara: The Story of Three Martyred Carmelite Nuns of the Spanish Civil War, translated by the Carmel of St. Joseph, Carmelite International Publishing House, Trivandrum.

Featured image: A portrait of the three Discalced Carmelite martyrs of the Carmel of St. Joseph in Guadalajara. From left to right: Blessed Teresa, Blessed Maria Pilar, and Blessed Maria Angeles. Image credit: Discalced Carmelites

St. George

St. George (Romanized: Georgios), a.k.a. George of Lydda, was a Christian martyr. He’s venerated as a saint. He was born in the late 3rd century (circa 270-281 AD) in Cappadocia in Anatolia (modern-day Turkey), to Christian parents of noble Greek descent.

According to tradition, he was a soldier in the Roman army. He became a soldier in the Roman army. He became a soldier after his dad passed away. He became a Tribunus (a high-ranking officer). He eventually became a member of the Diocletian at Nicomedia.

But he was later executed, as part of the Diocletianic Persecution. In 303 AD, Diocletian issued an edict allowing the persecution of Christians. George was ordered to renounce his faith & offer sacrifices to the Roman gods. He refused. He also tore up the emperor’s edict.

He was beheaded on April 23, 303 AD. His courage was so admired (in some traditions) that it led to Empress Alxandra of Rome to be martyred also.

He’s 1 of the most venerated saints, heroes, & megalomartyrs in Christianity. He has been especially venerated as a military saint since the Crusades. He’s also prominently venerated by the Druze (& by some Muslim groups) as a martyr of monotheistic faith.

In hagiography, he was immortalized in the legend(s) of St. George & the dragon & as 1 of the most prominent military saints. In a famous tale of George rescuing a princess from a dragon in Silene (Libya) 1st appeared in Georgian texts in the 11th century.

It was popularized in the West by the Lombardic “Golden Legend” in the 13th century. In religious iconography, the dragon represents the devil or Paganism, & the princess represents the Church.

In Roman Catholicism, he is also venerated as 1 of the 14 Holy Helpers. His feast day, St. George’s Day, is traditionally celebrated on April 23. The Church of St. George in Lydda (now Lod, Israel) has a sarcophagus traditionally believed to contain George’s relics.

According to tradition, a fierce dragon was causing panic in the city of Silene in Libya when our guy George arrived there. To keep the creature from ravaging the city, the inhabitants gave it 2 sheep each day. But when the sheep were no longer enough, they were forced to sacrifice people chosen by the townesfolk themselves.

Eventually, the king’s daughter was selected, & no one was willing to take her place. Georger saved her by slaying the dragon with a lance. The king was so grateful that he offered George treasures as a reward for saving his daughter’s life.

But George refused & urged him to give to the poor instead. The townspeople were so astonished by what they saw that they all became Christians & were baptised.

George (In Arabic, Jirjis or Girgus) is included in some Muslim texts as a prophetic figure. The Islamic sources state that he loved a group of believers who were in direct contact with the last apostles of Jesus. He was described as a rich merchant who opposed Dadan, the king of Mosul, in his reaction to Apollo’s stature.

After confronting the king, George was tortured many times to 0 effect, was imprisoned, & was aided, allegedly, by angels. Eventually, he was exposed to the fact that the idols were possessed by Satan. But was martyred when the city was destroyed by God in a rain of fire. (This is giving serious Sodom & Gomorrah vibes.)

According to Muslim legends, he was martyred under the rule of Diocletian & was killed 3x. But was resurrected every time. The legend is more developed in the Persian version of al-Tabari, wherein he resurrects the dead, makes trees sprout, & pillars bear flowers.

After 1 of his deaths, the world is covered by darkness, which is lifted only when he’s resurrected. He’s able to convert the queen, but she’s put to death. Then he prays to God to allow him to die, which is granted.

Al-Tah’labi says that George was from Palestine & lived in the times of some disciples of Jesus. He was killed many times by the king of Mosul, & resurrected each time. When the king tried to starve him, he touched a piece of dry wood brought by a woman & turned it green, with varieties of fruits & veggies growing from it. After his 4th death, the city was burnt along with him.

English soldiers under Richard the Lionheart invoked St. George at the Siege of Acre. They brought his “cult” back to Britain, where he replaced Edward the Confessor as the nation’s primary patron because he represented “active” chivalry rather than “passive” monasticism.

In 1348, King Edward III founded the Order of the Garter (the oldest and highest order of chivalry in England), putting it under the patronage of St. George. The current British monarch, King Charles III, is the head of the order today.

In the General Roman Calendar, George’s feast day is on April 23. In the Tridentine calendar of 1568, it was given the rank of “Semi double.” In Pope Pius XII’s calendar, the rand was reduced to “Simple.” In Pope Paul VI’s 1969 revision, it appears as an “optional memorial.”

In some countries, like England, the rank is higher. It’s a Solemnity (Roman Catholic) or Feast (Church of England): if it falls between Palm Sunday & the Second Sunday of Easter inclusive, it’s transferred to the Monday after the Second Sunday of Easter.

The Russian Orthodox Church also celebrates 2 additional feasts in honor of St. George. One is on November 3, commemorating the consecration of a cathedral dedicated to him in Lydda during the reign of Constantine the Great (305-337). When the church was consecrated, George’s relics were transferred there. The other feast day is on November 26 for a church dedicated to him in Kyiv (or Kiev, Ukraine), circa 1054.

In Bulgaria, St. George’s Day is celebrated on May 6. It’s customary to slaughter & roast a lamb. George’s Day is also a public holiday.

In Serbia & Bosnia & Herzegovina, the Serbian Orthodox Church celebrates St. George on May 6. It’s a common slava (patron saint day) among ethnic Serbs.

In Egypt, the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria calls St. George the “Prince of Martyrs.” They celebrate his martyrdom on the 23rd of Paremhat of the Coptic Calendar (equal to May 1). The Copts also celebrate the consecration of the 1st church dedicated to him on the 7th of the month of Hatour of the Coptic calendar (equal to November 17).

George is the patron saint of England. His cross forms the national flag of England. By the 14th century, he was declared both the patron saint & protector of the British royal family. He’s also the patron saint of Georgia (the country), Ethiopia, Iberia, Russia, & Bulgaria.

Make a one-time donation

Make a monthly donation

Make a yearly donation

Choose an amount

Or enter a custom amount

Your contribution is appreciated.

Your contribution is appreciated.

Your contribution is appreciated.

Perspectives on Khamenei’s Death: Martyrdom and Oppression in Iran

📰 Original title: Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's killing plays into Shiite Islam's reverence for martyrs, but not for all Iranians

🤖 IA: It's not clickbait ✅
👥 Usuarios: It's not clickbait ✅

View full AI summary: https://killbait.com/en/perspectives-on-khameneis-death-martyrdom-and-oppression-in-iran/?redirpost=aa511d8b-e0bd-4a4d-ac5d-bc1aef085a06

#politics #iran #shiite #martyrdom

Richard Medhurst discusses the assassination of Sayyid Ali #Khamenei, highlighting its profound impact beyond a typical political assassination. Medhurst emphasizes Khamenei's role as a revolutionary leader and successor to #Khomeini, who continued to guide #Iran's anti-imperialist course. He notes that Khamenei's death is seen not as a defeat, but as a catalyst for increased resistance, fueled by a "win-win" mentality of victory or #martyrdom among Iranians

#us #uspol

https://youtu.be/ZgVx_LSLY7c

Quote of the day, 31 January: St. Teresa of Avila

The grace of the Holy Spirit be with your charities, my daughters and sisters. You should know that I have never loved you as much as I do now, nor have you ever been so obliged to serve the Lord, for he has given you the great favor of being able to taste something of his cross and share in the terrible abandonment that he endured on it. Happy the day you entered that house where such a fortunate event was reserved for you!

I envy you very much, and indeed when I learned of all those changes — for everything was carefully communicated to me — and that they wanted to expel you from that house and about other details, I felt the greatest interior joy. I saw that, without your having crossed the sea, our Lord revealed to you mines containing eternal treasures.

Through these, I hope in the Lord, you will be left very rich and able to share with those of us who are here. For I believe that he will enable you to bear all without your offending him in any way. Don’t be afflicted that you feel it very much, for the Lord would want you to understand that you are not capable of as much as you thought when you were once so desirous of suffering.

Courage, courage, my daughters. Remember that God does not give anyone more trials than can be suffered and that His Majesty is with the afflicted. For this is certain, there is no reason to fear but to hope in his mercy. He will reveal the whole truth; and some machinations, which the devil kept hidden so as to create a disturbance, will be made known.

This was more painful for me than all that is happening now. Prayer, prayer, my sisters, and now let humility shine forth — and obedience in such a way that no one practices it more toward the appointed vicaress.

Oh, what a good time it is for gathering fruit from the resolutions you made to serve our Lord. Consider that often he desires to have proof that our works are in conformity with our resolutions and words.

Bring honor to the daughters of the Blessed Virgin, your sisters, in this great persecution, for if you help one another, the good Jesus will help you. Even though he sleeps at sea, when the storm gathers strength he calms the winds. He wants us to ask of him, and he loves us so much that he is always looking for ways to be of benefit to us.

May his name be blessed forever, amen, amen, amen.

Saint Teresa of Avila

Letter 284, 31 January 1579

Note: According to translators and editors Kieran Kavanaugh and Otilio Rodriguez, the Carmelite community in Seville was undergoing a serious crisis. Father Jerónimo Gracián had been stripped of his authority as visitator and subjected to a trial initiated by the provincial of Andalusia, with the aim of discrediting him and deposing the prioress, María de San José Salazar; a new vicaress was then appointed against the will of the community. Saint Teresa of Jesus, fully aware of these events, sent this letter discreetly through a trusted intermediary, exhorting the sisters—accustomed to rehearsing for martyrdom—to live this real persecution with prayer, humility, and obedience.

Teresa of Avila, St 1985, The Collected Works of St. Teresa of Avila, Kavanaugh, K & Rodriguez, O (trans.), ICS Publications, Washington DC.

Featured image: Saint Teresa “the Vagabond” is seen in this 20th c. statue by Spanish sculptor Fernando Cruz Solís (1923–2003) which graces the entry of the Discalced Carmelite Monastery of the Incarnation in Avila. Image credit: Raquel / Adobe Stock (Stock photo)

#FatherJerónimoGraciánOfTheMotherOfGod #MariaDeSanJoséSalazar #martyrdom #StTeresaOfAvila #suffering

"These swamps were also crawling with renegades 125 years ago, poachers seeking their treasure at “Cuthbert Rookery,” an isolated, secret spot that was bejeweled with countless egrets, ibises, herons, wood storks, roseate spoonbills, and other wading birds." —Mike Kane for The Bitter Southerner

https://bittersoutherner.com/issue-no12/plume-a-tale-of-murder-martyrdom-in-the-everglades

#Florida #Murder #Martyrdom #Birds

#NewHampshire #bishop warns #clergy to prepare for 'new era of #martyrdom'

Bishop Rob Hirschfeld of the #EpiscopalChurch of New Hampshire made his comments earlier this month at a vigil honoring #ReneeGood, who was fatally shot on Jan 7 by an #ICE officer.

#Trump #StateSponsoredTerrorism #religion #law #ethics #murder #ExtraJudicialKillings #Constitution #RightToProtest #CivilRights #UseOfForce #PoliceBrutality #MafiaState #CBP #Gestapo #Sturmabteilung #protest #resist
https://apnews.com/article/bishop-ice-martyrdom-new-hampshire-b58050770e7d40e3247d0aa3b91fe0d2

📝 Plot:
Through intense close-ups and stark imagery, this silent masterpiece portrays the final trial of Joan of Arc. Interrogated by religious authorities, Jeanne remains unwavering in her faith as psychological pressure and injustice mount. Her suffering, courage and spiritual conviction culminate in martyrdom, creating a deeply emotional meditation on belief, power and human resilience.

#LaPassionDeJeanneDArc
#History
#Drama
#SilentFilm
#Faith
#Martyrdom